Lyon vs Celta Vigo – News and Probable Lineups

Aiming for a spot in the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the second time in a row, Lyon hosts Celta Vigo at the Groupama Stadium on Thursday night for the second leg of their Europa League last-16 matchup.

The French side managed to secure a late equaliser in the first leg, leaving the tie finely balanced, while the Sky Blues are now tasked with regrouping after squandering a lead at home.

Match overview

The first leg concluded in dramatic fashion, with Lyon finding a late equaliser to earn a vital draw in Spain, keeping the tie evenly poised ahead of the return fixture.

Paulo Fonseca’s team controlled significant portions of the first leg, boasting possession and creating better opportunities, but were frustrated by their inability to finish effectively in the attacking third.

Despite Lyon’s dominance in territory, it was Celta Vigo who took the lead first against the flow of play, with Javi Rueda finding the net midway through the opening half.

The match took a pivotal turn in the second half when Iglesias was shown a red card for elbowing Clinton Mata, leaving Celta with ten players and shifting the momentum towards Lyon.

Even with the numerical advantage, Lyon had to wait until the final moments to capitalize, when Endrick fired from long range, as Ionut Radu misjudged the shot.

Ultimately, their resolve was broken late in the game when Endrick, who is on loan from Real Madrid, found the net from outside the box, with Radu failing to stop the powerful strike as it slipped into the goal.

That late equaliser might be crucial, not just for the aggregate score but also for boosting Endrick’s confidence, as the Brazilian terminated a four-match goal drought in spectacular fashion.

Lyon’s robust European history also brings hope, as they reached the quarter-finals in two of their previous outings in the tournament.

Even though Lyon had an impressive 13-match winning streak from December to February, their recent form has significantly declined, failing to win in their last five games across all competitions.

Four draws and one loss during this stretch, along with a Coupe de França exit via penalties against Lens, underline the mounting pressure on Fonseca’s squad to perform in Europe.

On the other side, Celta Vigo will be contemplating a missed opportunity after failing to maintain their advantage in the first leg.

To their credit, Celta held a compact and disciplined approach, thwarting Lyon for long stretches, with Ionut Radu making several key saves to preserve their lead.

Claudio Giraldez’s team is participating in European competition for the first time since the 2016-17 season, when they narrowly lost to Manchester United in the semi-finals.

Although they lack experience at this level in recent years, Celta have demonstrated promising form, recording two victories, two draws, and one loss in their last five matches across all competitions.

Team News

Lyon is dealing with numerous injury concerns, which may be affecting their inconsistent performances.

Pavel Sulc, a key player with 14 goals this season, remains out due to a hamstring injury.

Afonso Moreira is also missing because of a similar issue, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles is nursing an adductor problem.

Malick Fofana is recovering from an ankle injury, Ruben Kluivert is facing a muscle issue, and Ernest Nuamah is out due to a cruciate ligament injury.

Noham Kamara and Remi Himbert are also injured, further diminishing Fonseca’s squad options.

Celta Vigo will miss Borja Iglesias, who is suspended following his red card in the first leg.

Oscar Mingueza is also unavailable due to suspension from accumulating yellow cards.

Ferran Jutgla and Manu Fernandez are doubtful due to head and muscle injuries, respectively, while Miguel Roman is ruled out.

In the absence of Iglesias, Pablo Duran Fernandez may take on a starting role in the attack, supported by experienced forward Iago Aspas.

Lyon probable starting XI

Grave; Mata, Niakhate, Kango, Tagliafico; Morton, Tolisso, Tessmann; Vinicius, Endrick, Yaremchuk

Celta Vigo probable starting XI

Radu; Alonso, Starfelt, Rodriguez, Carreira; Moriba, Vecino, Rueda; Swedberg, Duran, Aspas

Despite the attacking potential of Celta Vigo, Lyon’s home advantage and the boost from their late equaliser are likely to give them the upper hand. The hosts are anticipated to prevail in a closely contested affair and advance on aggregate.